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Why don't your prospects buy? They have the problem and you have the solution, so why don't they buy? There are many reasons why, but generally it boils down to a few simple dynamics.

First and foremost, when a prospect has a significant problem and we have the solution but they don't buy, the first thing we should do is look in the mirror. When we should make a sale but don't, it’s our fault. It's not the prospect.

For starters, too many advisors are focused on their presentation. Their presentation is the focal point of the meeting and they fail to listen and hear the problem the prospect is detailing. This leaves the prospect with that "piece of meat" feeling. They feel that all that’s important to the advisor is the advisors agenda.

In addition, when advisors focus on themselves and their agenda they miss vital details that can many times make or break the sale. Secondly, who was in control of the interview? Who asked most of the questions? Who gave most of the answers? He who gets his questions answered is in control.

The advisor should be the one asking all the questions and the prospect should be the one doing most of the talking. If it is in reverse order, the prospect is in control. One thought to keep in mind is this; If we are spilling all of our knowledge, experience and expertise out on the floor for all to see, hear and take, we run a very high risk of unpaid consulting.

The last time I checked, I didn't find any advisors who had won the noble peace prize for unpaid consulting. Yet many still do it. Last but not least, how did we behave? Did we act like every other sales person? Did we act like we needed to make a sale? Did we talk too much, launch into a presentation too fast or did we ask lame, canned, predictable questions that most likely the prospect has heard before?

The bottom line is this: everything matters. We can truly only control one thing in the prospect interview, our behavior. If we act like a sales person we will be treated like one. If we aren't truly prospect focused, we can't build a mutually beneficial relationship. If it is not a relationship, it is merely a transaction. There is no future in simple transactions; the future depends on relationships.

It's not rocket science. It's simple communication and relationship dynamics that make our sales careers either a success or a colossal failure. The choice is yours.

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About the Author

I have been a sales and marketing consultant to the insurance industry for approximately 11 years. I'm a Certified business development specialist as well as a sales trainer and coach. As a professional speaker, I have performed over 450 speaking engagements in 46 states. I'm a Certified Financia... More